HMS Jasmine (K23)

HMS Jasmine (K23) was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.^[1] The ship was primarily engaged in convoy duty, protecting merchant ships and carrying out anti-submarine warfare during the U-boat offensive.^[2]

HMS Jasmine, underway at sea during convoy duty

Construction and career

The ship was ordered 31 August 1939.^[1] She was laid down 12 December 1939 at the Ferguson yard at Port Glasgow, Scotland.^[1] She was launched 14 January 1941 and the ship was commissioned 16 May 1941.^[1]

The ship sustained collision damage and undertook repairs in October 1941 at the Birkenhead Graving Dock.^[3][4]

Between 17 September and 1 October 1941, the ship served as an escort in Convoy HG 73. On 26/27 September, German submarine U-201 torpedoed and sank the ship's Cervantes and HMS Springbank, whose survivors were taken by several ships, including HMS Jasmine.^[5] HMS Jasmine then sank the Springbank by a combination of depth charges and 4-inch gunfire rather than leave her as a hazard to shipping.^[6]

On 15 November 1942, Jasmine, along with HMS Inconstant and HMS Nigella engaged German submarine U-181 with depth charges forcing the submarine to a depth of 570ft but failed to destroy her.^[7]

The ship was broken up for scrap on 11 September 1948.^[1]